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Agricultural Dispersals in Mediterranean and Temperate Europe
Aurélie Salavert
Along with ceramics production, sedentism, and herding, agriculture is a major component of the Neolithic as it is defined in Europe. Therefore, the agricultural system of the first Neolithic societies and the dispersal of exogenous cultivated plants to Europe are the subject of many scientific studies. To work on these issues, archaeobotanists rely on residual plant remains—crop seeds, weeds, and wild plants—from archaeological structures like detritic pits, and, less often, storage contexts. To date, no plant with an economic value has been identified as domesticated in Western Europe except possibly opium poppy. The earliest seeds identified at archaeological sites dated to about 5500–5200
The Neolithic pioneers settled in an area that had experienced a long tradition of hunting and gathering. The Neolithization of Europe followed a colonization model. The Mesolithic groups, although exploiting plant resources such as hazelnut more or less intensively, did not significantly change the landscape. The impact of their settlements and their activities are hardly noticeable through palynology, for example. The control of the mode of reproduction of plants has certainly increased the prevalence of Homo sapiens, involving, among others, a demographic increase and the ability to settle down in areas that were not well adapted to year-round occupation up to that point. The characterization of past agricultural systems, such as crop plants, technical processes, and the impact of anthropogenic activities on the landscape, is essential for understanding the interrelation of human societies and the plant environment. This interrelation has undoubtedly changed deeply with the Neolithic Revolution.
Agricultural Methanogenesis
Alexander N. Hristov
Agriculture is a significant source of methane, contributing about 12% of the global anthropogenic methane emissions. Major sources of methane from agricultural activities are fermentation in the reticulo-rumen of ruminant animals (i.e., enteric methane), fermentation in animal manure, and rice cultivation. Enteric methane is the largest agricultural source of methane and is mainly controlled by feed dry matter intake and composition of the animal diet (i.e., fiber, starch, lipids). Processes that lead to generation of methane from animal manure are similar to those taking place in the reticulo-rumen. Methane emissions from manure, however, are greatly influenced by factors such as manure management system and ambient temperature. Systems that handle manure as a liquid generate much more methane than systems in which manure is handled as a solid. Low ambient temperatures drastically decrease methane emissions from manure. Once applied to soil, animal manure does not generate significant amounts of methane. Globally, methane emissions from rice cultivation represent about 10% of the total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. In the rice plant, methane dissolves in the soil water surrounding the roots, diffuses into the cell-wall water of the root cells, and is eventually released through the micropores in the leaves. Various strategies have been explored to mitigate agricultural methane emissions. Animal nutrition, including balancing dietary nutrients and replacement of fiber with starch or lipids; alternative sinks for hydrogen; manipulation of ruminal fermentation; and direct inhibition of methanogenesis have been shown to effectively decrease enteric methane emissions. Manure management solutions include solid-liquid separation, manure covers, flaring of generated methane, acidification and cooling of manure, and decreasing manure storage time before soil application. There are also effective mitigation strategies for rice that can be categorized broadly into selection of rice cultivars, water regime, and fertilization. Alternate wetting and drying and mid-season drainage of rice paddies have been shown to be very effective practices for mitigating methane emissions from rice production.
Agricultural Practices and Environmental Impacts of Aztec and Pre-Aztec Central Mexico
Deborah L. Nichols
The Basin of Mexico is a key world region for understanding agricultural intensification and the development of ancient and historic cities and states. Archaeologists working in the region have had a long-standing interest in understanding the dynamics of interactions between society and environment and their research has been at the forefront of advances in both method and theory. The Basin of Mexico was the geopolitical core of the Aztec empire, the largest state in the history of Mesoamerica. Its growth was sustained by a complex economy that has been the subject of much research.
Two themes underlie a broad interest in the pre-Hispanic agriculture of the Basin of Mexico. First, how with a Neolithic technology did the Aztecs and their predecessors sustain the growth of large cites, dense rural populations, and the largest state system in the history of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica? Second, what is the relationship of agricultural intensification and urbanization and state formation? Mesoamerica is the only world region where primary civilizations developed that lacked domestic herbivores for either food or transportation. Their farming depended entirely on human labor and hand tools but sustained large cities, dense populations, and complex social institutions. Intensive agriculture began early and was promoted by risk, ecological diversity, and social differentiation, and included irrigation, terracing, and drained fields (chinampas). Most farming was managed by smallholder households and local communities, which encouraged corporate forms of governance and collective action. Environmental impacts included erosion and deposition, but were limited compared with the degradation that took place in the colonial period.
Agricultural Subsidies and the Environment
Heather Williams
Worldwide, governments subsidize agriculture at the rate of approximately 1 billion dollars per day. This figure rises to about twice that when export and biofuels production subsidies and state financing for dams and river basin engineering are included. These policies guide land use in numerous ways, including growers' choices of crop and buyers' demand for commodities. The three types of state subsidies that shape land use and the environment are land settlement programs, price and income supports, and energy and emissions initiatives. Together these subsidies have created perennial surpluses in global stores of cereal grains, cotton, and dairy, with production increases outstripping population growth. Subsidies to land settlement, to crop prices, and to processing and refining of cereals and fiber, therefore, can be shown to have independent and largely deleterious effect on soil fertility, fresh water supplies, biodiversity, and atmospheric carbon.
Consequences of Agriculture in Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and the Levant
John M. Marston
The ancient Near East was one of the earliest centers of agriculture in the world, giving rise to domesticated herd animals, cereals, and legumes that today have become primary agricultural staples worldwide. Although much attention has been paid to the origins of agriculture, identifying when, where, and how plants and animals were domesticated, equally important are the social and environmental consequences of agriculture. Shortly after the advent of domestication, agricultural economies quickly replaced hunting and gathering across Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Anatolia. The social and environmental context of this transition has profound implications for understanding the rise of social complexity and incipient urbanism in the Near East.
Economic transformation accompanied the expansion of agriculture throughout small-scale societies of the Near East. These farmsteads and villages, as well as mobile pastoral groups, formed the backbone of agricultural production, which enabled tradable surpluses necessary for more expansive, community-scale economic networks. The role of such economies in the development of social complexity remains debated, but they did play an essential role in the rise of urbanism. Cities depended on agricultural specialists, including farmers and herders, to feed urban populations and to enable craft and ritual specializations that became manifest in the first cities of southern Mesopotamia. The environmental implications of these agricultural systems in the Mesopotamian lowlands, especially soil salinization, were equally substantial. The environmental implications of Mesopotamian agriculture are distinct from those accompanying the spread of agriculture to the Levant and Anatolia, where deforestation, erosion, and loss of biodiversity can be identified as the hallmarks of agricultural expansion.
Agriculture is intimately connected with the rise of territorial empires across the Near East. Such empires often controlled agricultural production closely, for both economic and strategic ends, but the methods by which they encouraged the production of specific agricultural products and the adoption of particular agricultural strategies, especially irrigation, varied considerably between empires. By combining written records, archaeological data from surveys and excavation, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, together with the study of plant and animal remains from archaeological sites occupied during multiple imperial periods, it is possible to reconstruct the environmental consequences of imperial agricultural systems across the Near East. Divergent environmental histories across space and time allow us to assess the sustainability of the agricultural policies of each empire and to consider how resulting environmental change contributed to the success or failure of those polities.
The Agriculture of Early India
Charlene Murphy and Dorian Q. Fuller
South Asia possesses a unique Neolithic transition to agricultural domestication. India has received far less attention in the quest for evidence of early agriculture than other regions of the world traditionally recognized as "centers of domestication" such as southwest Asia, western Asia, China, Mesoamerica, South America, New Guinea, and Africa. Hunter-gatherers with agricultural production appeared around the middle of the Holocene, 4000 to 1500
As a case study for the origins of agriculture, South Asia has much to offer archaeologists and environmental scientists alike for understanding domestication processes and local transitions from foraging to farming as well as the ways in which early farmers adapted to and transformed the environment and regional vegetation. Information exchange from distant farmers from other agricultural centers into the subcontinent cannot be ruled out. However, it is clear that local agricultural origins occurred via a series of processes, including the dispersal of pastoral and agro-pastoral peoples across regions, the local domestication of animals and plants and the adoption by indigenous hunter-gatherers of food production techniques from neighboring cultures. Indeed, it is posited that local domestication events in India were occurring alongside agricultural dispersals from other parts of the world in an interconnected mosaic of cultivation, pastoralism, and sedentism. As humans in South Asia increasingly relied on a more restricted range of plant species, they became entangled in an increasingly fixed trajectory that allowed greater food production levels to sustain larger populations and support their developing social, cultural and food traditions.
CAFOs: Farm Animals and Industrialized Livestock Production
James M. MacDonald
Industrialized livestock production can be characterized by five key attributes: confinement feeding of animals, separation of feed and livestock production, specialization, large size, and close vertical linkages with buyers. Industrialized livestock operations—popularly known as CAFOs, for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations—have spread rapidly in developed and developing countries; by the early 21st century, they accounted for three quarters of poultry production and over half of global pork production, and held a growing foothold in dairy production.
Industrialized systems have created significant improvements in agricultural productivity, leading to greater output of meat and dairy products for given commitments of land, feed, labor, housing, and equipment. They have also been effective at developing, applying, and disseminating research leading to persistent improvements in animal genetics, breeding, feed formulations, and biosecurity. The reduced prices associated with productivity improvements support increased meat and dairy product consumption in low and middle income countries, while reducing the resources used for such consumption in higher income countries.
The high-stocking densities associated with confined feeding also exacerbate several social costs associated with livestock production. Animals in high-density environments may be exposed to diseases, subject to attacks from other animals, and unable to engage in natural behaviors, raising concerns about higher levels of fear, pain, stress, and boredom. Such animal welfare concerns have realized greater salience in recent years.
By consolidating large numbers of animals in a location, industrial systems also concentrate animal wastes, often in levels that exceed the capacity of local cropland to absorb the nutrients in manure. While the productivity improvements associated with industrial systems reduce the resource demands of agriculture, excessive localized concentrations of manure can lean to environmental damage through contamination of ground and surface water and through volatilization of nitrogen nutrients into airborne pollutants.
Finally, animals in industrialized systems are often provided with antibiotics in their feed or water, in order to treat and prevent disease, but also to realize improved feed absorption ("a production purpose"). Bacteria are developing resistance to many important antibiotic drugs; the extensive use of such drugs in human and animal medicine has contributed to the spread of antibiotic resistance, with consequent health risks to humans.
The social costs associated with industrialized production have led to a range of regulatory interventions, primarily in North America and Europe, as well as private sector attempts to alter the incentives that producers face through the development of labels and through associated adjustments within supply chains.
Causes of Soil Salinization, Sodification, and Alkalinization
Elisabeth N. Bui
Driving forces for natural soil salinity and alkalinity are climate, rock weathering, ion exchange, and mineral equilibria reactions that ultimately control the chemical composition of soil and water. The major weathering reactions that produce soluble ions are tabled. Where evapotranspiration is greater than precipitation, downward water movement is insufficient to leach solutes out of the soil profile and salts can precipitate. Microbes involved in organic matter mineralization and thus the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur biogeochemical cycles are also implicated. Seasonal contrast and evaporative concentration during dry periods accelerate short-term oxidation-reduction reactions and local and regional accumulation of carbonate and sulfur minerals. The presence of salts and alkaline conditions, together with the occurrence of drought and seasonal waterlogging, creates some of the most extreme soil environments where only specially adapted organisms are able to survive. Sodic soils are alkaline, rich in sodium carbonates, with an exchange complex dominated by sodium ions. Such sodic soils, when low in other salts, exhibit dispersive behavior, and they are difficult to manage for cropping. Maintaining the productivity of sodic soils requires control of the flocculation-dispersion behavior of the soil. Poor land management can also lead to anthropogenically induced secondary salinity. New developments in physical chemistry are providing insights into ion exchange and how it controls flocculation-dispersion in soil. New water and solute transport models are enabling better options of remediation of saline and/or sodic soils.
Classification and Mitigation of Soil Salinization
Tibor Tóth
Soil salinity has been causing problems for agriculturists for millennia, primarily in irrigated lands. The importance of salinity issues is increasing, since large areas are affected by irrigation-induced salt accumulation. A wide knowledge base has been collected to better understand the major processes of salt accumulation and choose the right method of mitigation. There are two major types of soil salinity that are distinguished because of different properties and mitigation requirements. The first is caused mostly by the large salt concentration and is called saline soil, typically corresponding to Solonchak soils. The second is caused mainly by the dominance of sodium in the soil solution or on the soil exchange complex. This latter type is called "sodic" soil, corresponding to Solonetz soils. Saline soils have homogeneous soil profiles with relatively good soil structure, and their appropriate mitigation measure is leaching. Naturally sodic soils have markedly different horizons and unfavorable physical properties, such as low permeability, swelling, plasticity when wet, and hardness when dry, and their limitation for agriculture is mitigated typically by applying gypsum. Salinity and sodicity need to be chemically quantified before deciding on the proper management strategy. The most complex management and mitigation of salinized irrigated lands involves modern engineering including calculations of irrigation water rates and reclamation materials, provisions for drainage, and drainage disposal. Mapping-oriented soil classification was developed for naturally saline and sodic soils and inherited the first soil categories introduced more than a century ago, such as Solonchak and Solonetz in most of the total of 24 soil classification systems used currently. USDA Soil Taxonomy is one exception, which uses names composed of formative elements.
Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture across Africa
Laura Pereira
Confidence in the projected impacts of climate change on agricultural systems has increased substantially since the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. In Africa, much work has gone into downscaling global climate models to understand regional impacts, but there remains a dearth of local level understanding of impacts and communities' capacity to adapt. It is well understood that Africa is vulnerable to climate change, not only because of its high exposure to climate change, but also because many African communities lack the capacity to respond or adapt to the impacts of climate change. Warming trends have already become evident across the continent, and it is likely that the continent's 2000 mean annual temperature change will exceed +2°C by 2100. Added to this warming trend, changes in precipitation patterns are also of concern: Even if rainfall remains constant, due to increasing temperatures, existing water stress will be amplified, putting even more pressure on agricultural systems, especially in semiarid areas. In general, high temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are likely to reduce cereal crop productivity, and new evidence is emerging that high-value perennial crops will also be negatively impacted by rising temperatures. Pressures from pests, weeds, and diseases are also expected to increase, with detrimental effects on crops and livestock.
Much of African agriculture's vulnerability to climate change lies in the fact that its agricultural systems remain largely rain-fed and underdeveloped, as the majority of Africa's farmers are small-scale farmers with few financial resources, limited access to infrastructure, and disparate access to information. At the same time, as these systems are highly reliant on their environment, and farmers are dependent on farming for their livelihoods, their diversity, context specificity, and the existence of generations of traditional knowledge offer elements of resilience in the face of climate change. Overall, however, the combination of climatic and nonclimatic drivers and stressors will exacerbate the vulnerability of Africa's agricultural systems to climate change, but the impacts will not be universally felt. Climate change will impact farmers and their agricultural systems in different ways, and adapting to these impacts will need to be context-specific.
Current adaptation efforts on the continent are increasing across the continent, but it is expected that in the long term these will be insufficient in enabling communities to cope with the changes due to longer-term climate change. African famers are increasingly adopting a variety of conservation and agroecological practices such as agroforestry, contouring, terracing, mulching, and no-till. These practices have the twin benefits of lowering carbon emissions while adapting to climate change as well as broadening the sources of livelihoods for poor farmers, but there are constraints to their widespread adoption. These challenges vary from insecure land tenure to difficulties with knowledge-sharing.
While African agriculture faces exposure to climate change as well as broader socioeconomic and political challenges, many of its diverse agricultural systems remain resilient. As the continent with the highest population growth rate, rapid urbanization trends, and rising GDP in many countries, Africa's agricultural systems will need to become adaptive to more than just climate change as the uncertainties of the 21st century unfold.


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Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center
News and Press Releases
For more information, contact:
Kim Horyn, Director
Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center
Presentation Addresses Visual Strategies for Language Development
The Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center will provide a presentation, Let's Get Visual!,6:30 pm, Wednesday, April 30th in the Nantucket High School's Large Group Instruction Room. Marie Duggan, Family Technology Liaison for Boston Children's Hospital's Autism Language Program will present.
This presentation, which is free, will specifically address the development of language through visual strategies, demonstrate low tech to high tech visual supports in the home, school and community, and describe where this educational component is heading. The workshop, which will include video segments and various samples of visual technology, will allow time for questions and answers.
Ms. Duggan, who is the parent of six children, one with autism, has been actively involved in the field of autism since 1992. She was recently awarded the Margaret L Bauman, MD Award for Excellence in Autism – Outstanding Parent/Professional in a Volunteer Capacity.Marie, along with Dr Howard Shane, was instrumental in the creation of the first "highly innovative technological program for adolescents with Autism" within the City of Boston. Marie has also received many community service awards for her contributions to children with autism in sports and fundraising. In addition to volunteering with Special Olympics, Marie is involved in many Autism organizations throughout Massachusetts and other states. She has presented at numerous conferences on the use of visual supports in the home and community.
Marie has been a member of the Family Advisory Committee at Children's Hospital for over 14 years now and is an active member in the Center for Families as a mentor to newly diagnosed parents of children with autism.
The mission of the Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center is to provide current information and comprehensive resources for families, professionals and the community for the purpose of educating and increasing awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Resource Center is dedicated to empowering families and individuals impacted by autism to make informed decisions by providing resource information that covers all aspects of autism and ASD, from birth through adult care.
Plans are currently in the works for summer activities for families of children with autism and their friends, including a private viewing of a current movie at the Starlight Theatre, surfing lessons and a picnic at the Boys & Girls Club. Stephen Shore, Ed.D., who has autism and Asperger Syndrome and has written numerous books on these subjects, is scheduled to speak in the Great Hall of the Atheneum in July. To register for Nantucket's 2nd annual Walk for Autism, scheduled to be held August 16th, please go on-line to www.autismspeaks.org/walk.
For more information, please contact Kim Horyn, Director, firstname.lastname@example.com, or call 646-341-3043.
To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

subset: commoncrawl


text: This is a draft for an optional version of Dr. King's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. He notes the importance of viewing the world as a family and with such perception, understands race issues as an international concern. King also speaks of Sir Alfred Bernhard Nobel, the originator of the Nobel Peace Prize. He accepts the award on behalf of those who came before him and those who continue to fight for freedom.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will decide whether the government can be sued by a Guam man who said he withdrew his consent before a Navy surgeon performed unsuccessful cataract surgery on him.
The court on Tuesday agreed to hear an appeal from Steven Alan Levin, who was operated on in March 2003 at the United States Naval Hospital in Guam. Levin said he withdrew his consent before the operation began but doctors proceeded anyway. Levin suffered complications, which require ongoing treatment.
Levin sued for medical malpractice and battery. The courts threw out the medical malpractice complaint and kept the battery charge. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the government is also immune from being sued for battery.
The high court will now review that decision. Levin appealed his case to the Supreme Court without a lawyer, one of two "pro se" cases granted by the court on Tuesday.


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How exciting it is to find ourselves in Acts 25 and to see Paul's defense before the governor of Judea, whose name was Festus. We began this study last Lord's Day, and we're going to complete it today, that is, the study of Acts 25:1-12. Those verses record for us Paul's trial before Festus. The Word of God is such a treasure that it's hard for me to understand why there would be any such thing as a Christian who didn't study the Bible, when you realize what's there, the riches, the treasures that are here, to be discovered, to be mined. I feel like David, who said, "Oh, how I love thy law." As we look at the book of Acts, as we have found, many of the deepest treasures in the book of Acts are just that: deep, down under the surface. We have to kind of mine them out. In a book like this that is historical narrative, most of the doctrine and spiritual principles are under the surface; that is, they are implied or illustrated. An example of that is the passage with which we're dealing today, where there is no particular statement regarding any doctrine, yet there are at least ten principles that just leap out of this page. Ten tremendous truths that are deep, they're buried, and you have to uproot them. What we want to do is pull up the food that's under the ground and feast on it this morning, and see how God will nourish us with it.
I mentioned to you last time that, as we looked at these verses, we found at least ten principles here, and there are probably more. I'm not sure we could handle ten, because that's a lot. There are ten principles that just kind of come out of the passage without being stated; they are implied or illustrated. They are these, and I'll only remind you of them. We see in this passage the hatred of religious people toward Christ and Christians. We see also the binding power of sin illustrated. Then we see evidence of the sovereign providence of God; then we find, also, the pattern of the world's persecution, that is, the way in which the world persecutes. We see also the innocence and blamelessness of the life of Paul and the effect that such a blameless life had. We see the exoneration of Christianity in terms of being a political issue or criminal activity. We see the courage of a committed Christian. We see, as well, how a Christian is to behave toward his government, and also his attitude toward persecution. Finally, we see the impact of one totally dedicated life. These are tremendous principles.
I hasten to say this, that none of them are new. All of them we have taught you before, and it's as if the Holy Spirit just puts this narrative here as a reminder. Like Peter said, "I will not cease to put you in remembrance of these things," so the Holy Spirit puts us in remembrance of all these principles which we have already seen in the book of Acts. They seem to be summed up in these 12 verses, as they begin to appear under the surface, as you pull up the roots.
Looking at the passage, I want to divide the 12 verses into four parts. As we go through the four parts, we'll see these 10 principles. The first part, as we told you last time, was the assassination plot in verses 1-5. If you'd like, you may follow along that outline you have, and take some notes. The assassination plotted. The Apostle Paul, as you know, has been accused by the Jews of three things. Sedition, that is, crimes against Rome, being an insurrectionist. Sectarianism, that is, being a heretic; and sacrilege, blaspheming God through the desecration of the temple. These accusations are all false and without evidence, without support, and yet, they are made against him.
As a result of this, Paul finally found himself before Felix, the governor, to be tried. Felix knew Paul was innocent, but he didn't want to upset the Jews who wanted him dead, so Felix kept him in prison for two years. At the end of two years, Felix was taken from his assignment in disgrace and hauled back to Rome. A new man was put in his place by the name of Festus. As chapter 25 opens, Festus arrives in Caesarea to take over his responsibility. I'll read to you Acts 25:1-5. "Now when Festus was come to the province," that is, the province of Judea, "After three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem." Caesarea, of course, was the head of the Roman government there in Judea, and he did a little bit of business there for three days, then headed for Jerusalem. He knew that it was important for him to establish relationships with the people over whom he would rule. He knew that relationships had been extremely shaky with Felix, and it was important to bind together some sort of working relationship.
He came to Jerusalem, then, and immediately, verse 2, "The high priest and the chief ones of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him and desired a favor against him, that he would send him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him." The first thing they bring up when Festus arrives in Jerusalem is this guy who has been a prisoner for two years. He never really committed any crime, but they hate him with a deep, deep hatred. They want him dead, so they say to Festus, who is totally naive and uninformed, "Could you kindly bring this prisoner to Jerusalem? We'd like to have a little bit of dealings with this particular case, so bring him here." Really, they wanted to ambush Paul on the way, and kill him. Festus didn't know that.
Festus answers in verse 4, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and he himself would depart shortly for there. He says, "I'm not going to bring him here, I'm going to Caesarea myself." Verse 5. "Let them, therefore, who among you are able," or, that is, who are able men, influential men, "Go down with me and accuse the man if there is any wickedness in him." So Festus says, "I'm not going to bring him to Jerusalem. If you have anything to bring against the man, let's do it in Caesarea."
As we saw last time, and went through those verses in detail, there are some tremendous spiritual principles that are implied and applied in this particular illustration. The first thing we see here is the hatred of religious people toward Jesus Christ. The folks who were really antagonistic toward Paul were Jews, religious people. The persecution that comes against true religion most often comes from false religion. It is when false religion rears its head that it begins to abuse the truth. These folks were the religious leaders of their land, of their day. Satan, who disguises himself as an angel of light and propagates all the systems of false religion, of course sets them in antagonism toward true religion. The most obvious enemy of Christ is true religion. All throughout the book of Acts it is the Jews, the religionists, who persecute Christ, and when I say Christ, that means both Jesus Christ when He was alive, and those who teach what He taught and believed in Him as their Messiah. They continued the persecution.
I think it's an interesting footnote, and I'll expand it in a minute, that the only times Roman persecution ever broke out was when it was a religious issue. Some might say, "You say it's always the religionists, but what about when the Romans persecuted?" It was a religious issue with them too, and we'll see that in just a minute. Religion is always the persecutor, because, you see, Satan sets up false religion in opposition to true religion. He brings all the unbelievers into the systems of false religion and they are in opposition to the truth. That's why any such thing as an ecumenical movement is absolutely ridiculous.
I was coming here this morning at about 7 o'clock and listening to religious news on the radio station. They were saying that recently, there was a great meeting in some city, I forget which one. It was a meeting of the Muslims, the Christians, and the Jews. The Muslims were represented by some Arab, the Christians were represented by some Coptic priest or bishop from the Coptic church, and Jewish rabbis. They were trying to figure out how they could all get together. The only way they could ever get together is if the Christianity that is represented there is run by Satan, because obviously, he is running the Judaism and Islam, because they're anti-Christ. It is ludicrous to imagine that Christians and Jews and Muslims, or Christians and anyone else in any other religion, can get together. It's impossible because all other systems of religion are against Christ. When that effort is made, the only thing that ever results is the loss of true Christianity. True Christianity is a rebuke to all other religions in the world. We cannot accommodate them. Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me." If Christianity is Jesus Christ, and anything other than Christianity is in opposition to Him, there can be no communion there. Throughout history, it has been the religionists who have persecuted the truth.
This is stated clearly in II Peter 2:1. Peter says, "There were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you." You go back to the history of Israel, and you'll find out that the biggest problem Israel ever had historically was the problem with the pagan religionists, wasn't it? Drifting into idolatry and Baal worship and being hassled by all the gods of the pagans - that was always the problem. It's no different now, he says. "There shall be false teachers among you, secretly bringing in destructive heresies, denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing on themselves swift destruction." Watch. "Many shall follow their pernicious ways and because of that, the way of truth will be evil spoken of." False teachers will always speak evil of the truth. The only way that Christianity can ever get together with all kinds of false religions is when they're ready to take the evil that is set against the truth and abandon the truth. We always stand isolated; we have to. That is our identity, because all the systems of religion in the world are against Christ. You say, "They don't seem to be." That's the idea. They secretly bring in destructive heresy. It's not always obvious; it's subtle, very often. Some religions are violently anti-Christ, some religions are subtly anti-Christ by being pro-Jesus ethic and nothing more, certainly not pro-Jesus as God in human flesh, Savior of the world.
So the hatred, historically, that has come against the truth, has come from religious systems. I think it's important for you to realize that. There is no way you're ever going to accommodate people in false religious systems; you must confront them.
Let me give you a second principle that we saw here, and that is the binding power of sin. Here are these religious leaders in Israel. It's been two years since they've had to deal with Paul; for two years, he's been in jail. You'd think that, in two years, they would pretty well have forgotten about the guy. But when two years is up, and Festus, the new governor arrives, the first thing they say to this guy in verse 2 is all about Paul. "We've got to have him dead," they say, "Let's go to Festus and work out a little plot, and we'll ambush him." They're hung up on Paul for two years and they haven't even seen him. That tells me a little about hate, does it tell you something about hate? It really drives itself deep, then it stays there. That's the way sin is: it's a binding thing. Let me show you the words of Jesus to illustrate this principle. They appear in a passage that perhaps is familiar to you, John 8:30. Jesus was speaking, and it says, "As he spoke, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to the Jews who believed on him, 'If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.'" Jesus says, "I'm glad you believe, but the proof of the true faith is if you continue. And if you continue in my word, you are truly saved, and the truth shall make you free."
By saying that, He implied that they weren't free. They were slaves. Of course, they didn't like that. They said, "We are Abraham's seed." They thought that just because they were Jews, that meant they were absolutely free. They said, "We have never been in bondage to any man." Now, how about the Egyptians, the Babylonians? Have you forgotten the Medo-Persians, the Syrians, the Greeks, and the Romans? You've never been in bondage to any man? "Well, we're talking spiritually." Oh? Fine. Jesus answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever commits sin is the slave of sin." They were slaves. Notice what He says. "Whoever commits a sin is a slave to sin." Sin is a slavery. Sin binds. The word doulos means a bondslave. The only way you could cease being a bondslave was to die. The only way out was death, and our Lord says that sin is bondage, slavery. In Titus 3, sinners are called doulos, bondslaves to lust; in Romans 6:19, a bondslave to uncleanness. Sin is slavery; sin captures a man, he is not free, he is a slave. The only release from that slavery is death, and isn't it marvelous to realize that it was only as you were crucified with Jesus Christ, as Romans 6 says, only that you died in Him, were freed from death, woke up in the resurrection and became a doulos to a new master, not sin, but Jesus Himself? You're still a bondslave, but a bondslave to Jesus Christ. I'll tell you something. Being a bondslave to Christ is better than being free to sin. So you see the binding character of sin. How sad it is that these men would allow two years to go by and still be totally destroyed on the inside by this hatred for Paul. Paul had loved them and was an innocent man.
A third principle that we saw in the passage was the providence of God. We saw that, in spite of what seemed to be the normal course of events, God was ordering things. When they said to Festus, "Hey Festus, why don't you take Paul up to Jerusalem? We want to do some business regarding his case," he said, "No." That's very strange. The normal thing would have been to say yes, right? He was trying to win the Jews, he was trying to influence them for his side. He was trying to conciliate them, make friends, establish a base of operation. But instead of saying yes, he says no, and there isn't any reason to say no, other than the fact that God is in control.
I get excited when I think about the fact that God is in control, don't you? Listen to Lamentations 3:37-38. "Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass unless the Lord has commanded it?" Isn't that terrific? Listen to the next verse. "Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?" Nothing happens for good or evil unless it is in the framework of God's allowance. That's clear in the Word of God. Festus didn't know it, but he was just moving along on the divine timetable. His own attitudes fitted the consistency of the will of God. God controls the destiny of every man.
The second point we see here, first, the assassination plot, then the accusation presented. Verse 6. "When he had tarried among them no more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea." So we have Festus going down to Caesarea like he said he would. "The next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he was come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul." So eight or ten days later, Festus has made some contacts, perhaps established relationships with the high priests, the Sanhedrin, and whoever else he needed to. Now he hustles back down to Caesarea, and the next day, he brings Paul. The accusers have come from Jerusalem, ready to lay the case. What do we find here? They lay down grievous charges, many of them, and complaints. We find, again, another principle. This is the fourth of the principles that we'll see, and it is this: the typical pattern of the world's persecution. Watch. The world persecutes on two premises. The persecute falsely and for Christ's sake.
Listen to Matthew 5, the words of Jesus. "Blessed are you when men shall persecute you and revile you and accuse you falsely for my sake." There are the two ingredients in the typical pattern of the world's persecution: they accuse you falsely and for Christ's sake. In other words, it isn't you they hate, it's Christ. It isn't you they resent, it's Christianity. Some Christians live such messed-up lives that it may be you they resent, but the point is, if you really receive the true rebuking of the world as Paul received it, it won't be because you fouled up so much that you deserve it, it will be false and for Christ's sake because of the vibrancy of your testimony for Christ.
Our lives should be so lived that the accusations are false. Our lives should be so lived that the only accusation people could make would be that they can't stand our Christianity. They should falsely accuse you. I'll tell you something, when Christians' lives are that way, when Christians' lives are lives that can only be accused falsely, then the world is really going to take notice of us, believe it. Let me show you the third point, and we'll begin where we wanted to begin today. After we've seen the assassination plotted and presented, we see the absence of proof. It's always interesting, I think, in all the trials so far that we've seen, no one ever had any evidence against Paul. They were all trumped-up, false charges. The end of verse 7. "All these grievous complaints against Paul were laid, which they could not prove." They couldn't prove any of them. No witnesses, no support, no evidence, no case. You say, "Maybe they hadn't really worked on it." Don't believe that. In chapter 23, they tried to get a case against Paul and there weren't any witnesses there, they tried again in chapter 24 and there weren't any witnesses. I think one of the notes, this is just a little thought I have; it may be true, it may not be. I think the possibility of verse 6 saying that he had tarried in Jerusalem for eight or ten days, some Bibles only say ten days, the original manuscripts say eight or ten. The reason the Holy Spirit put that there is because that gives the Jews plenty of time to get their case together. You'd better believe that, since they had been shot out of the saddle twice already because of a lack of evidence and witnesses, they used those eight or ten days, or at least a good portion of them, to scurry around and try to find or bribe some witnesses. But God never let it happen - there were no witnesses. Paul had done nothing; no one witnessed what he did because he didn't do anything. Apparently, God didn't even allow them to bribe any witnesses. So they show up without any witnesses. Again, when the thing starts and Paul gives his testimony, then thing that knocks you over is his absolute innocence. That brings us to principle number five, which follows the one I just gave you: the innocence and blamelessness of Paul and the effect of that innocence. I'm telling you, the effect of an innocent, blameless life on the world is powerful. Let me show you a passage that you're familiar with, but with a different slant. I Peter 3:14. "If you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are you. Don't be afraid of their terror, don't be troubled." If you suffer for sin, that's a different story, if you've fouled up your life so much that you're getting abuse because you've sinned, that's another thing. But if you're suffering for righteousness' sake, if you're living a godly life and all of a sudden, you're really getting it, happy are you. Don't be afraid of their terror, don't be troubled, but do three things. Take care of what you are, what you say, and make sure what you think. That's the next verses, watch. "Sanctify the Lord Christ in your heart." What does that mean? It means set apart Christ in your heart. That is simply a statement saying, "Be holy." What's the second thing? "Then be ready to give an answer to every man that asks for a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Number one, check what you are, make sure you are holy. Number two, check what you say, make sure you speak the truth of God. Number three, check what you think; have a good conscience. He says, "You'll be persecuted for righteousness' sake; stand on what you are, a holy life. Stand on what you say, the truth. Make sure that, when all is done, your conscience is clear, your thoughts are clear, you know you've not violated God. You know what will happen? Verse 16, "They will speak evil of you as evildoers but that they may be ashamed because they falsely accuse your good manner of life in Christ." You know how to rebuke people who accuse you? Give them nothing to accuse you of, then they'll have to face the fact that their accusations are unfounded. They'll have to face the fact that the real issue is their hatred of Christianity and they'll be forced to face that. By Paul's innocent life, he made those people, over and over again, face the fact that what was really wrong was that their hearts were not right. They hated Jesus Christ; they resented God's Messiah. He forced them to feel that way, to recognize that, because there was really nothing for which they could blame Him.
Take stock of what you are, set Christ apart in what you say and what you think. Then be bold, and stand up, confronting the world with an innocent life. The power and impact of that kind of life can make the world ashamed. Shame may be a cause of conviction that can bring someone to Christ.
Let me give you principle number six. Another principle we see in this particular situation as Paul is brought before this governor, but there is no evidence, is the exoneration of Christianity of any crimes. You know, it was a very popular thing for the Jews to try to get rid of Christianity by accusing the Christians of being criminals against the Roman government. Throughout the whole book of Acts and the early history of the church as it grew from Jerusalem to Rome, the Jews had tried over and over again to make the Romans believe that Christianity was revolutionary, that Christianity was sedition and insurrection, that if the Romans tolerated the Christians, they'd overthrow the government. Of course, the hypocrisy of it is enough to make you sick, because the Jews were busy trying to do the same thing. They had a group called the Zealots, and the Zealots were going around starting riots and insurrections, secretly assassinating people that they wanted to get rid of. In fact, they used to kill the Jewish Uncle Toms. That's today's vernacular, of course, they didn't call them that then. In today's vernacular, a Jewish Uncle Tom would be a Jew who paid tribute to Rome. The Zealots would kill them just as soon as they'd kill a Roman. So there was tremendous insurrection coming out of Judaism. And they're tying to accuse the Christians of doing that, but of course it never stuck. All through the book of Acts, you repeatedly have different trials of Christians. Every time, the Roman government said they were innocent. The testimony is written down for all time, for all men to know. Christianity is not a revolution, it is not a political threat, it is a personal relationship to a living God, and the world doesn't have to fear Christianity. God has established that in the printed pages of His Word. So every time there is a trial of Christians in the book of Acts, Christians are exonerated. You say, "Why then did the Romans start persecuting them?" That happened because there was a change in things. Let me tell you what happened. The Roman Empire was vast, from the Euphrates on the east to Britain on the west. From the top of Europe and Germany to north Africa, that entire, huge area was the Roman Empire. The Romans were practically scared to death about the possibility of fragmenting that empire, so they worked long and hard to try and come up with a unifying factor that could tie a thread across the whole situation and pull it together. What they came up with was Caesar worship. If they could get everyone to worship Caesar, that might be the thing they needed to hang it all together. So they established Caesar as a god and demanded out of everyone emperor worship. Once a year, every inhabitant of the Roman Empire had to take a pinch of incense, burn it to Caesar, and then publicly declare, "Caesar is lord." After he did that, he could go and worship any god he wanted to, but he had to believe in the god Caesar and establish that verbally.
You know as much as I do that no Christian would do that. Salvation is confessing Jesus as Lord. We sang that when we came in here. "He is Lord, He is Lord. He has risen from the dead and He is Lord." That's the testimony of a believer, and no believer is going to stand up and say, "Caesar is lord." The Christians wouldn't do it, and that's when the persecution began. Now remember what I said earlier, the persecution is not political, it's religious. They then persecuted the Christians for religious disloyalty. As I say, it's always false religions that lead persecution against the truth. It was then that martyrdom began. Incidentally, the first guy to really get it off the ground was named Nero. You'll be interested to note, Nero was the Caesar at this very time that Paul is in Caesarea. You'll find out in just a minute, if you didn't know already, that Nero was a complete maniac. He began to murder Christians. The succeeding Caesars after him continued it, and they murdered Christians because they were supposedly religiously disloyal, and they dreamed up all kinds of other accusations. But this perverted character Nero began it. It's funny, because the first five years of his rule weren't anything; he was just an ordinary character. Or as ordinary as a pervert could be, I suppose. He was ordinary historically, nothing really happened. But all of a sudden, after his fifth year, bang! Everything just broke loose, and it was due to the fact that they had established emperor worship. That really keyed persecution, as I said, because it comes from religious antagonism. The record stands, beloved, it stands in the Word of God. No accusation, no accusation, no accusation ever, ever rendered a guilty verdict against the believers; the were never successfully accused of insurrection. Remember in Acts 16, the Romans took Paul and Silas and threw them in jail? You know what happened. God just had a localized earthquake and opened every door in the place. Of course, everyone was scared about that, and it says in verse 35, "The sergeants and magistrates got together and said, 'Let those guys out. Get them out of there.' The keeper of the prison told the same to Paul. 'The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now, therefore, depart and go in peace.'" They knew that they had imprisoned them without reason, they were imprisoned and in stocks and they hadn't done one thing. The Romans simply stuck them in there at the whim of some of these Jewish people, and Paul and Silas were upset about being put in there. They were upset in one sense, and yet they accepted it as the will of God. But now the Romans were scared, because they knew they had done this against Roman law and without any real verdict. So they said, "Tell them to go quick! Get them out so no one will know we did this." Watch Paul's reaction.
"Paul said to them, 'They have chosen to beat us openly, uncondemned, being Romans. We're Romans and they beat us uncondemned. They threw us into prison. Now they think they're going to put us out privately?'" Paul says, "Now that they've beat us up publicly, they're going to sneak us out privately?" The sergeant said this to the magistrates and the magistrates panicked. "They heard that they were Romans, and came and besought him, 'Please leave. Please leave.'" Do you see the importance of this passage? The Romans knew that they hadn't done anything and they just wanted to get their own injustice off their backs. Later on, in chapter 18, the Jews bring Paul to Gallio. Gallio says, "This guy hasn't done one single thing. Get him out of here," and threw the whole case out of court. That's how it goes through the whole book of Acts; never were Christians convicted by the Roman government of insurrection. Listen, a Christian is someone who is a model citizen; a Christian is someone who conforms himself to the government for his own conscience's sake, as well as for the sake of what God would do to him if he didn't. I'll talk about that in a minute.
I Peter 2:12 says, "Have your behavior honest among the heathen that whereas they may speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." Here is a Christian's behavior: "Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake," whether it is the king, the governor, the police, anyone. "Honor the king," he says. This is part of it as a Christian because it is meaningful in giving a testimony. "When you do this, you, with your good deeds, will silence the ignorance of those who would persecute you." So the Christian is to be the example. Listen to Paul's denial in Acts 25:8. They have no proof, so Paul answers and says, "Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple," the law of the Jews was the accusation of sectarianism, the temple, the accusation of sacrilege, "Nor yet against Caesar," the accusation of sedition. He hadn't done any of these things. "I have not offended in anything at all." That's the end of the case, folks. You don't bring a case into court and say, "He did this and this and this," and the judge asks for evidence and you say, "There is no evidence. I'm just saying he did it." There is no case. What should Festus have done? Thrown it out, dismiss it on the spot. But you know what? If Felix was the procrastinator, Festus was the guy who did what was expedient, and maybe that's even worse. Whatever benefited him. He knew that if he just dumped Paul, he'd really be in bad, bad trouble, because the Jews would be against him from the very beginning since they wanted this man dead. He was scared to release Paul even though he knew he was innocent. He wanted to be in with the Jews, he wanted to do what was expedient, so he comes up with a compromise.
Verse 9. "But Festus, willing to do the Jews a favor," where is justice, friends? What is this favor routine? He answers Paul and says, "Will you go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me? I've got an idea, Paul. We'll compromise. You will go to Jerusalem, but I'll be the judge." That sounds like a compromise. They wanted to have Paul go to Jerusalem and they as the Sanhedrin would judge him. No, we'll go to Jerusalem because they want that, but I'll compromise and I'll be the judge. The issue wasn't even an issue, and there was no trial because no case. They had just proven that again, for about the fourth time. By this time, Paul is a little bit upset. He shows it in verse 10 in a very potent response. "Then said Paul, 'I stand at Caesar's judgment seat where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong as you very well know.'" That's pretty strong language, talking to a big wheel like that, the judge. Notice what he says, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat." Any province with a governor who sat on the seat of judgment was Caesar's representative, and here, he was standing before the representative of Caesar. So he says, "I'm standing here before Caesar's judgment seat. If you've got a crime to deal with, deal with it. I've never done anything wrong to the Jews and you know I haven't." Now Festus did know he hadn't. Down in verse 18, when Festus later on talked to Agrippa, he said to Agrippa, "Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed. I thought they really had a case; they never had any case." Then why didn't you let him go? "Well, it's a political thing." So here Paul is a pingpong ball between the Roman governor and the Jewish leaders. They're playing this little game of how to get along and he is the victim, getting batted around, and he's getting tired of this. He's a little bit upset at seeing the absolute naivety of Festus, who would believe that they were just going to deal so nicely with him in Jerusalem. He knew in his mind that they probably had a plot to kill him. He's a little uptight because Felix was a procrastinator and materialist, and to add to that, here is the expediency of Festus doing what is going to benefit him. So he's trapped in a snake pit of intrigue, victimized by these two groups with their interplay.
So he stands up for his rights as a Roman citizen. He says, "I am a Roman citizen. I stand before Caesar's judgment seat; if you have a case, prosecute the case. If you don't have a case, forget it. I've done nothing against the Jews. And you know it, Festus." Well, man, if you stick your finger in the nose of a governor like that and say that you're could be in hot water. But I like his courage, don't you? I mean, when the man believed in a principle, he stood up for his principle. He was no compromiser. It is amazing when you see how a man stands for absolutes and you compare him to compromisers. What a difference.
Verse 11. "For if I am an offender," that is, if I have committed a crime, "And have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. I'm not trying to escape death," he says. That is not the issue. And you can believe it's true, can't you? Paul doesn't care about dying one bit; dying was just promotion for him. For him, to die was gain. He says, "It isn't death that I'm avoiding; it's justice that I'm after. If I'm an offender and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things of which these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I know Roman law, and if I haven't done anything, there is no reason to deliver me to them." That's strong stuff, Paul. And it was courageous. If you think that is courageous, look what he does now at the end of verse 11. "I appeal unto Caesar." Now, when he said that, it was not just an offhand comment; that was an official appeal. This brings us to our fourth point, the appeal proposed. A lower court judgment could be appealed to Caesar. In fact, the appeal could be given before or after the verdict of the lower court. All the Apostle Paul had to do, if he was was Latin, was to say, "AdCaesaremprovoco," or "Caesaremappello," and that amounted to an appeal to Caesar. The case ended on the spot and was transferred to Rome. This was one of the rights of a Roman citizen, and that's what Paul does.
He says, "I'm taking this thing to Rome." He knew he was getting nowhere in Caesarea, he was mired down in the stupidity of this little political battle that was going on and he was the victim of the whole thing. He says, "I appeal to Rome," and the very moment that he said that, the thing shifted out of the hands of Festus into the hands of Caesar in Rome. I can imagine that, in a sense, Paul got kind of excited on the inside when he said that. He knew that back in Acts 23:11, when he was sleeping that night in the cell, the Lord came to him and said, "Hey, don't be too discouraged. You've been faithful preaching the Word here, and the next stop is Rome." So he knew God was getting him there, and when he was able to say, "I appeal to Caesar," he must have been somewhat exhilarated realizing that was the ticket to Rome.
You know, there's another thought that I had, and that is that appealing to Caesar wasn't really that great when you consider who Caesar was. If he had thought about it long enough, he probably would have said, "I'm probably better off with an expedient character like Festus than I am with a complete maniac like Nero." I mean, going to be judged by Nero wasn't exactly the epitome of the anticipation of absolute justice. Just to give you a little insight to him, and I can't go into all the things he did. He was the most immoral that a man could ever be, absolutely inconceivable, just beyond belief. Just to give you a little idea of the things that he did in terms of murder, he killed Britannicus, who did not write an encyclopedia, incidentally. He killed Brittanicus, the son and heir of the emperor Claudius, and, of course, moved in on his territory. He killed his mother, Agrippina, to please his lover, Poppaea, who was the wife of someone else. Then he burned Rome and got mad at Poppaea and killed her by kicking her in the stomach when she was pregnant. He wanted to marry his adoptive sister Antonius, and she wasn't really excited about the deal so he killed her. He married Messalina after he assassinated her husband, and he spent his career busily assassinating all the best citizens of Rome because he couldn't stand good people. Finally, he did the smartest thing and killed himself, which delivered everyone. In this principle number seven, I see the courage of a committed Christian. The Apostle Paul stands up and does two things that I would say are courageous. Number one, he rebukes, face to face, the governor of Judea, Festus. Number two, he puts himself in the hands of a maniac. It took courage. Courage is born of confidence in God, isn't it? I know that he realized that God could overrule Festus and God could overrule Nero, and on that basis, he was courageous. Courage is not an intangible; courage is born of faith. Courage is an absolute that is born out of confidence in God, and he believed that God was running his life, so nothing bothered him. He was like Joshua and Caleb; 12 spies went into the land, 10 came back with a grasshopper complex, remember? "Oh, they're giants and we're like grasshoppers!" Two came back and said, "Let's go and take it." Courage.
With all the hassling going on about, "How are we going to defeat Sisera's army," in Judges 4. "How are we going to do it?" A lady named Deborah walks up and says, "Come on, I'll lead you to victory." All the men blinked and followed. Or maybe in I Samuel, you read about David and his tremendous courage, when he walks out with a handful of rocks to fight a giant. It wasn't just that he believed he was a good shot; it was that he believed that God would deliver him. Courage is born of confidence, and confidence is born of faith in God. Paul had that faith.
All the way to Jerusalem, they kept saying, "The Holy Spirit witnesses in every city that bonds and afflictions await you," he says, "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself that I might finish the ministry the Lord has to given me with joy." Courage. There is something about courage that is just irreplaceable. There is something about the Christian who is willing to stand up and say what is true.
I shared this in the early hour. We were talking about this and a man came to me afterwards and said he had to give a speech to a group of people. It was a secular group of people and he was giving a supposedly secular speech, and he decided, since a third of them were Jewish, that he'd give a talk on the proof that Jesus was the Messiah. It was a speech to be critiqued by a group of people, and he got up and gave it, and he said, "Your sermon this morning, that's exactly what happened to me this week. I never understood what God was doing. Once I got into the speech, I was afraid. I gave it and after it was over, I got blasted and bombarded and criticized. When I saw what I saw in the Word of God this morning, I want you to know how my heart is rejoicing." He was willing to do that; he had courage to do it, and believe me, God will honor that.
That's the courage to stand and say what needs to be said wherever you need to say it and know that God is going to take care of what happens. Courage is a virtue that belongs to a committed Christian. Look at verse 12. "Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, 'Have you appealed to Caesar? Unto Caesar shall you go.'" He had to check with his council to find out if Paul had Roman citizenship, and it was legitimate to make the appeal, so he says, "You're going to Caesar." You can just imagine Paul's heart going thump, thump, thump. Rome, at last! He had written the book of Romans and said, "I want to come! I want to come! I want to minister to you and impart some spiritual gift to you. I want to establish a base to go from there to Spain." Boy, he had Rome on his mind, didn't he? Now, all of a sudden, his heart must have been thumping, "I'm going to Rome! I'm going to Rome!" You say, "He could have done this earlier; two years earlier, he could have appealed." You're right. I'll show you in a minute why he didn't.
Let me give you the eighth principle that I see here. That is the believer's behavior before government. It's interesting, I think, that Paul said, "I appeal to Caesar." He had put himself in the hands of the government, and quite a government, right? Paul has laid out for us here a pattern, an example, that believers should follow. We are to put ourselves in the hands of government. How can we do that? Because government is an institution of God. For just a moment, I want to call your attention to Romans 13 and mention a couple of thoughts that I think are very important. They help us get a perspective on the believer's attitude toward government. Romans 13:1-6 or so really does give us a pattern. "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God." The powers that be are ordained of God. That doesn't mean that every ruler and every official in the world is God's man, it just means that government, as such, is of God. The institution and the format are of God. Notice verse 2. "Whosoever therefore resists the power resists the ordinance of God." If you fight against the government, you are resisting God, "And they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment." You ought to be a model citizen, not only for the sake of your testimony, but for the sake of the judgment that comes from God in chastisement if you don't. Listen, Christians are not to be revolutionaries, they are not to rebel. There are times when, if in a society, a government forbids you to love the Lord Jesus Christ or to worship Him, that's a different thing. But within the framework of those laws which exist in a government, we are to be submissive and obedient.
"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil." I don't care if you're talking about China or Russia or the worst of those countries that we could bring up, those countries still protect people who do good deeds and still punish criminals. We may not agree with the philosophy, and the religious persecution is another factor, but basically, they protect good deeds. Not necessarily good people, because evil people can do good deeds in confirmation to a government. But as long as we obey the government, the government is there to take care of us. "For he is the minister of God to you for good." It's amazing to realize that these people who are over us in government are ministers of God; not that they know it, but that God uses them to effect His will. If you do that which is evil, you'd better be afraid. If you violate the government, if you disobey the government, you have good right to be afraid, "For they are not bearing the sword in vain," God gave them that sword, and God gave them the prerogative to do with that sword as justice demands. "You must needs be subject not just for wrath," that is, not only because you could be punished, but for conscience. So you'll have a clear conscience. "So pay your taxes," verse 6 says, because the people collecting it are God's ministers. "Attending continually upon this very thing, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." The Christian, then, is to subject himself to his government. We're not to be like the Zealots, who used violence, who plundered, who murdered, who killed even the Jews who were obeying the Romans.
Watch this. Paul, by his attitude, disconnects Christianity from Judaism in another way. The Jews had fanatically been anti-Roman; he makes it clear that Christianity and a condescension to government and authority go together. Civil government, in whosoever's hands it may be, is no less a divine institution and is to be obeyed; even if Nero is on the throne, and that's who was on the throne when Paul said this.
You say, "Certainly it doesn't apply if you have a crummy ruler." Yes it does. His letter, in fact, was written to the Romans. Here it is. The Roman government was ordained of God, that's what he says. So he appeals to a divine institution. You say, "But what if the divine institution doesn't do what it ought to do?" That's for God to decide. The standard is still there.
One other principle along this line. I think this passage also teaches us the believer's attitude toward martyrdom. In the early church, there were people with a martyr complex. They tried hard to die as martyrs because they believed there were two levels of future life: one for the normal people and one for the martyrs. That isn't taught in the Scriptures, but everyone wanted to be a martyr. There is something interesting, just to remind you of. The man who seeks martyrdom isn't a martyr. The only person who is a martyr is one who has fought for every possible escape and found no way out. Did you notice something interesting about Paul? He used every single resource to avoid death. He never even appealed to Caesar, because he knew what that might involve, until the last possible hope was gone of any other solution. Paul was not some kind of spiritual masochist. There are Christians like that, who think the only time they're godly is when they're in pain; the sicker they are, the more holy. That's not so. If God brings you joy, if He brings marvelous health, peace and safety, just thank and praise Him. If He brings you pain, as there is no other alternative, thank Him for that as well.
You see some great principles here, don't you? Kind of a review this morning. Let me close with one thought. The thing that I think overrides everything else and the one dramatic principle that sticks in my mind and dominates my thoughts is this: the impact of one totally dedicated life. Only eternity will be able to measure the impact of that one man, Paul. He made a staggering impact on his entire world. I thought to myself, even as I was thinking about that, I know I could never have the impact that he had, but I pray to God that I would maximize whatever impact that I could have on this world. That I would order my priorities, that I would maximize my time, and that doesn't mean that I run around like a chicken with my head cut off; it means I find out the priorities and function within them. Maybe the best way for you to maximize your one life would be to pour it into three other people who will be able to multiply it, I don't know. What I do know is that, as Christians, we ought to realize that one man can affect a whole world if that man is right before God. That ought to be a challenge to every one of us. Let's pray.
Father, we're thankful this morning for the joy that has been ours in just seeing again the pages of the Word of God and having revealed to us the truth of God. Thank You for the principles we've seen and learned this morning hour. We realize, Father, that it is the one, totally dedicated life that You multiply and use to Your glory, and we desire above all that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, might be those kinds of lives that touch other lives and affect our world. That we might influence our world for Christ, no matter the price that we must pay. We thank You for that privilege. We await the day when we will be with You and hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We pray in Christ's name, Amen.
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Sharon Kay Haskins, 64, passed away Oct. 2, 2012 in Joplin, MO.
Sharon Kay Haskins, 64, passed away Oct. 2, 2012 in Joplin, MO.
Sharon was born Nov. 7, 1947 in American Falls, Idaho, to Opal M. "Willis" Pippin and Orville Clifton Pippin. She was a longtime Carthage resident and a member of the First United Methodist Church Carthage, MO. She was a R.N. at Freeman N.I.C. Unit for 16 years.
Sharon is survived by her husband Dennis Wayne Haskins they were married in Carthage, Mo., on Sept. 3, 1965 they were married for 47 years.
Sharon is survived by one daughter Holly Haskins and one son Kenneth Haskins both of Carthage. Three step-brothers Gary L. Bray of Riverside Calif., Ronnie E. Bray of Medford, Ore., and Benny L. Bray of Paola KS one step-sister Nancy M. Moreua of Wichita, Kan., her step-father Kenneth Bray, of Carthage, five grandchildren and one great-grandson several nieces and nephews.
Sharon was preceded in death by her parents and two sisters Patsy Kisling and Wanda Pauline Hansen.
Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 at the Ulmer Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012 at Ulmer Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.ulmerfh.com . Arrangements are under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.


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Max Payne Mobile £1.99
Ex-cop Max Payne shows up on the App Store– just ahead of Google Play – to terrorise your iPhone. Leap through the air and gun down baddies using slow motion Bullet Time, tons of aiming modes and customisable touchscreen controls. If you were a fan of the PC series, we're really not sure why you're still reading this.
Google Currents £Free
Turn your boring Google Reader RSS feeds of sites and blogs into magazine-style Currents editions in the big G's take on Apple's Newsstand. Now that it's finally waded its way from America to the the rest of the world, you can read UK news on optimised titles like The Guardian, The Independent and Metro. Subs sync across your devices, sharing is speedy and there are offline reading options.
Get it
The FA cup with Budweiser – Man of the Match £Free
The FA Cup's official app livens up the footy with fixture info, live match stat updates and the option to vote on the Man of the Match. Plus a fun new Aurasma-powered feature lets you view a 3D augmented reality version of the FA Cup trophy itself when you point your camera at a Budweiser beer mat.
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Awesome Calendar £1.99
The iOS Calendar app is a bit of a bare-bones affair, but Awesome Calendar is here to save the day. It syncs up with Google Calendar through iCal and adds features including passcode lock, to-do lists, holidays for multiple countries, live weather info and the ability to customise your calendar with stickers and themes. More usefully, it also lets you attach images to notes, and share notes, to-do lists and events from within the app.
Get it
AR Fire £Free
Unleash hell on your chums with this augmented reality combat game – just capture a colour that they're wearing to use as your target, set a time limit and blast away. While they try to do the same to you. Just don't blame us if you smash the furniture while leaping around.
Asus Transformer Pad 300 gets US release date
Contact lens displays are incoming for 2014
Just because they could – bulletproof iPhone case


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Marshall Allen is a journalist in Pasadena, Calif. He and his wife, Sonja, have two boys.
It's about a lot more than getting out in front of a group of people and shouting "follow me!"
Your strengths, and not your weaknesses, are where you should focus your energy.
Sometimes it's easier to point the finger than take responsibility. It sure feels better; at least for a little while.
You can survive college with your faith in tact. Here's a book that can guide you from freshman orientation all the way to graduation.
Marshall learns what good parking and free lattes have to do with the perfect church.
Everyone's got some kind of faith. They just don't always admit it.
How do you convey your faith to people who don't share it? Depends on the circumstances.
It's gone "mainstream," but that doesn't mean you have to act like it's OK. Marshall shows a Christian way to take a stand.
Many men don't want their children to be aborted. What do they do when they can't stop it?
Cynicism is easy, fun and hey, I was born this way. So why was I starting to feel so rotten?
It's tempting to go for the glamour when choosing a major. But as this quirky film reminds us, choosing a path that pays the bills is a noble task.
Why do gals take Valentine's Day so seriously? It can make a guy sick. Literally.
Helping young adults mature in Christ and prepare for marriage and family. Learn more
© Focus on the Family 1998-2018


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October 12, 2005
By 8:15 a.m., the kindergartners in Monica von Lubken's class at May Street Elementary have already counted how many days of school they've had so far and done some stretching exercises to prepare for the day.
"Find those brain buttons," von Lubken says as the students finish stretching and gather on a mat on the floor. "Let your brain know you're at school." The next 45 minutes will be spent on literacy, that most vital of building blocks in a child's education. Von Lubken will lead the students through the alphabet, calling a different child up to the board every few letters so each can have their turn with the "magic reading wand" used to point to each letter. The students will play a game to match lowercase letters with their uppercase "parents," and they'll read a story together and discuss its rhyming words.
For the eager kindergartners, it's all mostly fun and games. But von Lubken, who has been teaching kindergarten for nearly a decade, knows it's much more than that. Spending all that unhurried time solely on literacy is a new-found luxury for her — one that could benefit these students for the rest of their lives.
May Street and all elementary schools in Hood River County have full-day kindergarten for the first time this year. (Parkdale, Mid-Valley and Pine Grove schools started full-day kindergarten as a pilot program last year.) Up until now, kindergartners have attended school for half-days only – roughly two and a half hours a day. Now kindergartners district-wide attend school six hours a day, five days a week, just like their older peers.
Full-day kindergarten is a trend that's gathering speed nationwide. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1979 only 25 percent of all kindergartners in the United States were enrolled in full-day programs. By 2000, that number had leaped to 60 percent and last year hit more than 65 percent.
In Oregon, State School Superintendent Susan Castillo has made establishing full-day kindergarten state-wide a priority. The number of students around the state in full-day kindergarten rose from 3,700 in 2003-04 to more than 6,000 in 2004-05.
"In 2003, Castillo made this one of the state's priorities," said Gene Evans, communications director for the Oregon Department of Education. "She's called for schools doing half-day kindergarten to try and figure out a way to increase to full-day."
Many factors involving both family dynamics and educational goals have contributed to the increase in full-day kindergarten programs. For one, a majority of today's kindergartners have already had at least one and often two years of preschool by the time they arrive at elementary school. Where once kindergarten served as the entry point for a child's formal education, it's now often merely a continuation of that process.
The steady rise in the number of working mothers also has contributed to the push for full-day kindergarten. To stabilize children's schedules, many parents favor full-day kindergarten because it reduces the number of disruptions and transitions children experience in a day.
State and national educational goals and pressures from the federal government to show students' yearly gains in reading and math have also contributed to the push for full-day kindergarten.
All of these factors played a role in Hood River County School District officials' decision to implement full-day kindergarten district-wide this year.
"We would've liked to have been able to afford full-day kindergarten in all schools last year, but we didn't have the resources to do it," said Marcia LaDuke, assistant superintendent of the Hood River County School District. Parkdale, Mid-Valley and Pine Grove schools qualified for additional funding under Title 1A (determined by the number of students taking part in the free- and reduced-lunch program), which the district used to pilot full-day kindergarten in those schools last year.
Those schools had so much success with the program that district officials looked for a way to fund it district-wide this year.
"When we looked at add-backs for this year, we put a priority on making full-day kindergarten in all schools," LaDuke said.
Pat Echanis, principal at Parkdale Elementary, is a long-time advocate of full-day kindergarten and was very pleased with last year's inaugural program at the school.
"I really saw a remarkable difference in kids who were here last year for a full-day for the first time," Echanis said. He was especially pleased with "how far they came with their language skills in a year."
"I think those benefits are really going to pay off in the future as far as academic achievement," he said. Echanis said the first grade teachers have had to "make some adjustments" because they're getting kids who are "more advanced."
"I think we made a great decision in offering full-day kindergarten to all our kids in the district," he said.
Monica von Lubken agrees.
"I have time to do everything consistently this year," she said. "There are so many pieces that go into being a reader and a writer. I used to have to pick and choose. Now I have time to focus on all the pieces." Von Lubken says she spends double the amount of time on literacy than she has in the past, and spends time on math every day.
"Before I had to share math time with science, specialists (PE, music, library), violence prevention programs – all those things were competing for slots," she said.
"It's also given us time to offer the most developmentally-appropriate kindergarten we've been able to do in years," von Lubken said. "With No Child Left Behind and other restraints, this is the first time I've been able to give age-appropriate activities."
Von Lubken built in a quiet time with lights off after lunch in case her kindergartners needed a nap.
"After the first few days, I realized no one was falling asleep," she said. "We turned it into a time to read a chapter book. They all bring teddy bears and blankets and sit on the floor, and I read. It's very unusual for kindergartners to get to read a chapter book."
Hood River resident and City Councilor Paul Blackburn's youngest daughter, Rosalie, is in von Lubken's class. His older daughter, Althea, attended half-day kindergarten at May Street. He's hesitant to compare the experiences of his daughters; the mere fact that Rosalie grew up with an older sibling made the sisters' early life experiences vastly different.
But Blackburn is a strong proponent of full-day kindergarten and was pleased when he learned May Street would offer it this year.
"From a public policy perspective, full-day kindergarten is the greatest thing," Blackburn said. He said he's careful to tune in to Rosalie when he picks her up after school – "she may need a long nap when she gets home, or maybe she'll be ready to go."
But from the very first day of school, he says, Rosalie has loved it.
"The first day we're walking home from school," Blackburn recalled. "I'm thinking, okay, give me something. And Rosalie says, 'Mrs. von Lubken is so nice.' Well, there's something!"
Full-day kindergarten will be a permanent part of Hood River County schools – as long as funding allows.
"Every year we have to take a look at the decisions that are made, and we have to prioritize the decisions," LaDuke said. "If we continue to have funding, I'm sure it will be a priority. If we have to make substantial cuts again, we'll have to take a look at what our priorities would be."
If the Oregon Department of Education has its way, full-day kindergarten won't be left up to districts but will become mandated by the legislature.
"It's one of those things everyone understands – full-day kindergarten is a good thing," Gene Evans said. He said it will cost an estimated $40 million to implement full-day kindergarten state-wide.
"We'll have to figure out a way to pay for it," he said. "But it's an investment that pays off in so many ways."
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Read: When We Were the Kennedys By Monica Wood
When We Were the Kennedys
By Monica Wood (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012)
Monica Wood writes that her book When We Were the Kennedys: A Memoir from Mexico, Maine "results from my having been an observant child living in a vibrant place and time." Amen, especially to the word observant.
This vividly recalled tale from the early 1960s brought back my own childhood: Dad going off early to his blue-collar union job with Mom at home holding down the fort; walking to St. Matthias School in my scratchy plaid skirt, where I sat next to Jagiellos and Engstroms and Liebhabers, the children and grandchildren of immigrants.
Wood's father (and her grandfather and her brother and the fathers of almost all of her friends) toiled proudly at the Oxford paper mill that loomed over the town of Mexico. His union job put meat and potatoes on the table and paid tuition to the parish school, where the Sisters greeted their pupils every day with "Bonjour, mes enfants." "In my family, in every family," writes Wood, "that story—with its implied happy ending—hinged on a single, beautiful, unbreakable, immutable fact: Dad. Then he died."
Wood recalls with heartbreaking clarity the weeks and months after her father's sudden fatal heart attack, her reactions, and those of her mother, her three sisters, and Father Bob, her mother's younger brother. She navigates the embarrassment of being the only kid in fourth grade without a dad, losing herself in books and in the family of her friend Denise, whose father still presided every night at dinner.
Her mother stops going outside except for Mass and a rare trip to the bank, and when neighbors ask about her, Wood writes, "I don't say: She does everything the same but she's not here." Then comes the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which somehow changes everything.
This book is a shining example of everything a memoir should be.
This article appeared in the July 2012 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 77, No. 7, page 42).


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This past Friday night, UFC on FX 5 was short two tilts including one involving lightweight Jeremy Stephens. However, "Lil Heathen" didn't miss his match-up for health or even weight-related reasons, but rather he was arrested earlier in the day for an outstanding warrant in Iowa. Despite the best efforts from the UFC's legal team, he was kept in custody and remains there today where he'll most stay until he is transported back to Des Moines where the charges stand.
Stephens' management has since released a statement on the matter where they made it clear 26-year old had done little to earn himself a spot in the slammer and was caught completely offguard when police showed up on Friday afternoon.
Check it out below:
"In response to the recent arrest and allegations regarding Jeremy Stephens we would like to take this opportunity to reach out to his supporters and clarify some of the information that has been circulating in the media.
In 2011, Jeremy was attending a homecoming party in Des Moines, Iowa. A person in attendance became intoxicated and disorderly, and was asked to leave by the owner of the establishment. The intoxicated individual subsequently became involved in a physical altercation with another person at the event. We have learned that, as the featured guest at the party, Jeremy's name came up during the police investigation of the assault.
Prior to being detained the morning of October 5, 2012, in Minneapolis, Jeremy had never been arrested in connection with the assault, contacted about any possible charge and or notified about any outstanding warrant by mail or any other means. Jeremy has lived at the same residence in San Diego and has maintained the same phone number for the past year or more. Jeremy also uses social media to provide updates on his training, and to thank fans, supporters, sponsors, and the UFC. In short, Jeremy is not a hard guy to find, which can be seen at www.LilHeathenMMA.com.
At this time, we do not know why Polk County (Iowa) authorities waited to have a warrant served on Jeremy until the morning of his fight. He arrived in Minnesota four days earlier, stayed at the hotel with other fighters for the event, and attended the public weigh-in on Thursday afternoon. Because he was arrested so close to the time of the fight, arrangements for his release could not be made in time for him to compete despite the diligent efforts of the UFC. Minnesota state officials were great to deal with, but Polk County kept changing the deal making it impossible to get Jeremy released.
It will take some time for this unfortunate situation to be resolved. We ask that everyone be patient and wait for the truth to come out. We also would like to thank Jeremy's fans who are standing by him during this tough time and especially Dana White and the staff at UFC for their incredible display of support for Jeremy throughout the ordeal.
There is nothing to hide, so we will keep everyone updated as things progress. To be clear, JEREMY WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS ASSAULT AT ALL!"


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- Home
- Campus Credentials and Transportation
- Transportation
Purdue Fort Wayne Transportation Services provides vehicles to faculty, staff, and students for use on official University travel billed to a departmental account.
Interactive Powerpoint Instructions
Confused? Please view the Interactive Powerpoint that will walk you through all of the items needed to reserve a vehicle.
Please note: Open the Power Point file in presentation mode for all the links to work correctly.
Transportation Request Form
Please submit a Transportation Request to reserve a vehicle. All vehicles must be reserved at least 24 hours before the trip start time.
Driver's License
All drivers will need a valid US or Canadian Driver's License in order to secure a vehicle. Please bring your valid Driver's License when picking up a vehicle or verify we have a copy on file.
Transportation Policy
The Use of Vehicle for University Business Policy is effective for all staff, faculty, and students on March 1, 2010. Complete a "Self Assessment" by looking at the Power Point presentation. This can be found by clicking on "View the training HERE" and then "Use of Vehicles for University Business." (Slide 8 will have the Self Assessing Chart.)
Student/Volunteer Drivers
Student/volunteer drivers will need to fill out one of the following forms: Student/Volunteer Driver's Authorization Request for Department. Please allow 10 days for the processing of this form. The Campus Credentials & Transportation office (WU 127) must receive authorization of driver's approval, from Risk Management, before the trip start date.
Passenger Van Training
The passenger limit for the large vans was changed from 12-15 passengers to 8 passengers including the driver. This policy was changed because of the risk of roll-over in certain conditions. Additionally PFW requires staff and faculty who rent a 12-15 passenger vans and students/volunteers who rent any size van to watch the Van Training Video, take the Online Quiz, and print and sign the Quiz Results email you will receive after taking the online quiz prior to driving the van. Send the signed form to the CCT office in WU 127 or the driver can bring the form with them when picking up the vehicle keys.
Club Cart Use Agreement
Anyone who rents a club cart needs to read, print and sign the Club Cart Use Agreement. Send the signed form to the Campus Credentials & Transportation office in WU 127 or the driver can bring the form with them when picking up the club cart keys.
Cancellation Fee
Evans Toyota will be charging a $20.00 cancellation fee. This cancellation fee will only apply to a rental vehicle that has already been delivered to the university or is in transit at the time of the cancellation. If you would like to cancel a rental vehicle that has been ordered, please send an email to Ashley Tash, or call the CCT office at 481-6611.
Multiple Drivers-Release Form
If there is more than 1 driver per vehicle, we will need each driver to sign the Drivers Release Form stating that they have read the Transportation Policy and met the requirements. The forms can be mailed back to WU 127 Attn: Ashley Tash or brought with the driver when picking up the vehicle keys. All forms must be received by the CCT office before the start of the trip or the vehicle keys can not be released.
Travel Reimbursement
All travel reimbursement forms and travel questions are handled by the travel clerk in Accounting Services.
Parking and tolls incurred while using a university vehicle are reimbursed on the employee's Form 25. Receipts are required for parking.
Picking Up Vehicles
Vehicle keys may be picked up in Walb Union, room 127, Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Note: The driver must pick up the requested vehicle in person and sign a certification that they are in compliance with the Use of Vehicles for University Business Policy.
If you are departing prior to 10 a.m. in the morning, your rental vehicle will be delivered by 4 p.m. the day prior to your departure. The vehicle keys can be picked up at the Walb Information Desk between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. the day prior to departing. Monday rentals can pick up the keys on Friday.
Vehicles can be found on the north end of the ground floor of Parking Garage 2 [PDF]. There are signs indicating "University Fleet Vehicles Only."
When leaving a personal vehicle during a university trip, please park your vehicle in place of the University vehicle you are driving.
Note: Make sure you display the red "University Parking Pass" on your dashboard.
Returning Vehicles
Vehicle keys can be returned at Walb Union, room 127, Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
For after hours or weekend returns, please use the drop box. It is located on the north end of the ground floor of Parking Garage 2 at the top of the ramp by the vehicle parking area. The clipboard and sign in/out sheet will also be located by the drop box.
Vehicles must be parked in the "University Fleet Vehicle Parking" area in Parking Garage 2 when they are returned.